Scenes NASCAR Atlanta Weekend

  by Rhonda McCole

NASCAR's New Policy Backfires

  by Pete McCole
NASCAR’s new doctrine of letting the drivers police their own actions on the track took a big step backwards on Sunday, as Carl Edwards took the policy to the extreme in an apparent act of retribution against Brad Keselowski in the closing laps at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Edwards, running nearly 150 laps down to the leaders, hooked the rear bumper of Keselowski’s car and sent him sailing roof-first into the frontstretch wall.

Atlanta Sprint Cup race postscript

  by Dave Grayson
WHAT'S-UP with Sprint Cup driver Carl Edwards and that lack of judgment during the Atlanta race? Edwards had every reason to be upset with fellow driver Brad Keselowski. Early race contact by Keselowski sent Edwards' Ford up into the wall which in turn collected Joey Logano. The incident completely destroyed any chances Edwards and Logano had of having a good run.  Worse yet, suppose the car flew into the grandstands and killed scores of people.  So much for NASCAR telling its drivers to have had it this year.

Kurt Busch holds off Kenseth in Atlanta

  by Pete McCole
Kurt Busch had one of the best cars all day and his Penske Dodge and it wasn't any different at the finish as he was able to hold off Matt Kenseth's Roush Ford for two green-white-checkered finishes in to Kobalt 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Atlanta Motor Speedway.  Juan Montoya came home third and Kasey Kahne and Paul Menard rounded out the top-5.

Harvick wins Atlanta truck race over Busch

  by Pete McCole
Kevin Harvick claimed his seventh career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series victory with a dominating victory in Saturday’s E-Z-Go 200 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Driving for his own Kevin Harvick, Inc. team in a Chevrolet Silverado sponsored by the race sponsor, Harvick led two times for 100 laps – including the final 56 - to beat out Kyle Busch for his third consecutive NCWTS victory dating back to the end of the 2009 season.

Earnhardt Jr. wins Atlanta pole with 192 mph lap

  by Pete McCole
Dale Earnhardt Jr. notched his first NASCAR Sprint Cup pole since 2008 with a record setting pace in Friday night’s qualifying session for Sunday’s Kobalt Tools 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Earnhardt posted a top speed of 192.761 mph in the no. 88 Amp Chevrolet, clocking the fastest qualifying speed ever for a Sprint Cup car in the Car of Tomorrow era

NASCAR Atlanta Truck race preview

  by Dave Grayson
After three weeks off, since their season opener at Daytona, America's favorite tail gate party returns to action. The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series will be riding the fast lane at the Atlanta Motor Speedway this Saturday with the running of the E-Z-Go 200.  When it comes to a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Atlanta, never make the mistake of overlooking the presence of Kyle Busch who will making his second start of the 2010 season for his new Toyota team: Kyle Busch Motorsports.

NASCAR Las Vegas Postscript

  by Dave Grayson
During the course of the previous NASCAR weekend in Las Vegas we learned a valuable lesson regarding two tires versus four tires and we learned what is required to make Kevin "Happy" Harvick happy again.  Did you hear that unusual sound that followed the conclusion of the Shelby American 400? It was an rather odd sound associated with someone walking. It sounded something like "walk walk-whoomp, walk walk-whoomp." It turned out to be the sound of Jeff Gordon's crew chief, Steve Letarte, kicking himself in the butt all the way to the team's car hauler.

Johnson outduels Gordon to win 2-in-row

  NASCAR Sprint Cup race in Las Vegas
Defending champion Jimmie Johnson and Chad Knaus have done it again.  After his Hendrick teammate Jeff Gordon dominated the race with Johnson running 2nd for most of it, after the final pitstop and caution flag, Johnson hunted down Gordon, passed him with ease and pulled away to an easy win in the Shelby American, his 2nd in a row as he goes for his 5th straight title.  Kevin Harvick also passed Gordon in the final 5 laps to grab 2nd and make it a Chevy 1-2-3-4.

Kurt Busch wins pole in Vegas at home track

  NASCAR Sprint Cup Qualifying
To help sell race tickets on Sunday, Las Vegas native Kurt Busch won the pole for Sunday's Shelby American Cup Series race with a track-record speed of 188.719 mph. Busch hopes to follow his brother and defending race winner Kyle Busch to Victory Lane. Turning a lap in 28.614 seconds, Busch edged Jeff Gordon (188.646 mph) for the top starting spot in the third race of the season.  Ryan Newman (188.180 mph) qualified third.

NASCAR Las Vegas Preview

  by Dave Grayson
The elite of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series are making their annual trek to Las Vegas for the running of Sunday's Shelby American named in honor the iconic custom car builder Carroll Shelby. Over the past few weeks we heard a lot about the physical and financial hardships regarding NASCAR's annual western swing, Fontana-California last week and Las Vegas seven days later. But you really don't seem to hear the drivers complaining that much about having to spend a few days in Sin City: the entertainment capital of the world.

NASCAR Fontana postscript - 2

  by Dave Grayson
During the course of the previous weekend we saw proof that the Auto Club Speedway can produce some good racing despite long standing criticisms to the contrary. We watched a championship team prove that they are both lucky and good and we watched another team return to their proper status. We even got treated to a "Spiderman" move on pit road.  THUMB's-UP for the NASCAR weekend at the Auto Club Speedway and the quality racing in both the Nationwide and Sprint Cup Series. Three, and even in some cases four, wide racing was seen all weekend long.